Pelargonium plant named ‘Duesacarm’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Duesacarm’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; large bright red-colored semi-double flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium zonale.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUESACARM’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Duesacarm’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new vigorous Zonal Geranium plants withnumerous attractive flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in July, 2007 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietaryselection of Pelargonium zonale identified as code number F-09-018, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPelargonium zonale identified as code number AK8730, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg,Germany since June, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this newZonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duesacarm’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duesacarm’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large bright red-colored semi-double flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in growth habit as plants of the new ZonalGeranium are more vigorous than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in leaf color as plants of the male parentselection have lighter green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium zonale ‘Fisrocky Dark Red’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,237. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany,plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed primarily from plants of‘Fisrocky Dark Red’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were shorter than plants of        ‘Fisrocky Dark Red’.    -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more freely branching        than plants of ‘Fisrocky Dark Red’.    -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had smaller leaves than        plants of ‘Fisrocky Dark Red’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Duesacarm’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Pelargonium production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time threeweeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and thedescription were taken. In the detailed description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium zonale ‘Duesacarm’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium zonale identified as code number F-09-018, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium            zonale identified as code number AK8730, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; uniformly            rounded; densely foliated; vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching habit with about            nine basal branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height to top of flower umbels.—About 25.5 cm.        -   Plant height to top of foliar plane.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 29.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10.9 cm. Diameter: About            8.2 mm. Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Texture: Pubescent.            Strength: Moderately strong. Color: Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 3.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,            close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Very faint pattern            observed.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Semi-double type flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils;            umbels displayed above the foliar plane on moderately strong            peduncles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit, about nine to            eleven flowers per umbel and potentially about seven flower            umbels developing per plant.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions; in            outdoor nurseries and gardens in Germany, flowering is            continuous from spring throughout the summer until the            autumn; plants begin to flower about eight weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.1 cm by 4.4 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.9 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.3 mm. Diameter: About 5.3 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 43A;            color becoming closer to 43A and 67A with development. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 43C.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About three in a single            whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 43A.            When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 43C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five or six arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 9.8 mm. Width: About 3.8 mm.            Shape: Ensiform. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144A and 183A.        -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 13.8 cm. Diameter:            About 4.3 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.6 cm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 64A and 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            Five or six. Filament length: About 6.6 mm. Filament color:            Close to 155A and 64B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 165A. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 28A. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma            shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 63A. Style length:            About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 63B. Ovary color: Close to            191B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Zonal Geranium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geranium plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,    and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named‘Duesacarm’ as illustrated and described.